Ever wonder if your kids are getting enough of a particular food group? All the time, right? When your toddler goes on a food strike and will eat nothing but strawberries, it’s hard not to be concerned about their intake. Below you’ll find a chart with the food group recommendations by age. It’s important to remember when looking at the chart that your child’s health and nutrition is cumulative. No kids (or adults for that matter) eat perfectly every day, but striving for variety, balance, and meeting daily requirements is a great place to start when it comes to teaching healthy habits in the long run.
In my opinion (and based on concerns I heard over and over from former clients with kids of all ages), protein is by far the most tricky recommendation for a lot of kids. Toddlers are notorious for going through food jags and many kids are known for being picky when it comes to meat in particular. Don’t fret though - there are plenty of ways to get protein in without eating meat. Here are 10 non-meat protein options for when you can’t get your kiddos to eat meat.
Edamame - Edamame is a favorite among many kids for its fun factor - popping them out of the pod is an easy healthy after-school snack and activity. Edamame boasts 17 grams of protein per cup.
Peanut Butter - The options for peanut butter uses are endless and its protein content is good - 8 grams per 2 Tablespoon serving. Some of our favorite ways to enjoy peanut butter include on a sandwich, spread on fruit like Apple and Banana Cookies and even just eaten off a spoon.
Flax Seeds - Flax seeds can be incorporated almost anywhere (baked goods, smoothies, yogurt, etc.) thanks to its mild flavor profile. And just a sprinkle can bump up the protein your kids are getting - 2 Tbsp flax seeds gets them 3 grams of protein.
Quinoa - Another non-meat favorite, quinoa is one of the only plant-based proteins to have the complete amino acid profile. Quinoa will grab you 8 grams of protein per 1 cup (cooked).
Almonds - We love snacking on almonds - even our youngest likes to grab a handful of toasted thin-sliced almonds as a snack. For each ounce of almonds consumed, your kids can get 9 grams of protein along with the healthy fat and other nutrients almonds have to offer. Almond Butter is another great way to incorporate almond in your diet - especially if peanut butter is off-limits.
Chickpeas - Chickpeas are another great protein source for kids - roast them and toast them for a yummy, crunchy snack or blend them up into hummus - kids love to dip. 1 cup of chickpeas will provide 12 grams of protein.
Eggs - Another favorite, although admittedly my kids go through phases with eggs, so I have to get creative. Incorporating eggs in pancakes, french toast, oatmeal or muffins to bump up the protein content sometimes has to take the place of a warm plate of scrambled eggs BUT we do what we gotta do, right? 1 egg contains 6 grams of protein.
Beans - Beans are an amazing protein source (15 grams per cup of cooked beans). Paired with a complementary food like rice, beans have a complete amino acid profile, which is hard to find in non-meat protein sources. An easy way to get your kids to eat beans is to blend them up into a dip or do a taco-style rice dish with rice, beans, and some melted cheese - a little bit of cheese always goes a long way in our house.
Sunflower Seeds - I remember spending hours at the ball field when my younger brother was playing baseball and sunflower seeds were such a fun snack - spitting included. If you’re not hanging out at the ballfield, pick up a bag of shelled sunflower seeds and add them to trail mix, granola, or sprinkle them on yogurt. 1 cup of seeds (non-shelled) gives you 10 grams of protein.
Dairy Products - If you can tolerate dairy products, things like cheese and yogurt can be great sources of protein, especially for little people. Greek-style yogurt and cottage cheese have the most protein at 20 grams per cup and a glass of whole milk provides 8 grams. Look for yogurt with low sugar content and sweeten it up yourself using some berries or local honey.
For reference, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut (or almond) butter, ¼ cup cooked beans, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds is considered a 1 ounce-equivalent from the protein food group. So for the average 4-8 year old, you’re looking for 4 of those 1 ounce-equivalent servings each day.
